Spirally-bound sheaf



1936. w. GRUMBACHER 7 2,051,477

SPIRALLY BOUND SHEAF Filed April '7, 1953 [N VENTOR 1 firzuzzhzwka;

Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs SPIRALLY-BOUND SHEAF Walter Grumbacher, New York, N. Y. 1

A p ication April 7, 1933, Serial No. 664,851

9 Claims.

type described and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,516,932, issued November 25, 1924.

The present application constitutes in part a continuation of my copending application Serial Number 656,994, filed February 16, 1933.

While I have herein illustrated, and shall hereinafter describe, my invention as the same applies to the binding of a stack of paper sheets, nevertheless it will be understood that my invention is by no means restricted to this type of sheet material but may have far wider applicability.

One phase of my present invention relates to the binding together, in a permanent manner, of a plurality of sheet elements or the like. By the term "permanent I mean to distinguish from the conventional looseleaf types of binding which are designed for rapid and continual insertion and removal of separate sheets. While the present binding is inherently removable, as distinguished from the conventional binding of a book whose removal would mutilate the entire assembly, the present permanent type of binding is not primarily intended for continual removal or insertion of elements of the sheaf.

The general type of binding to which my invention relates has come to be known in the trade as spiral binding, and employs what has come to be known as a spiral binder. A binder of this character consists essentially of a spiral or hellcal binding wire or element, and it is engaged with the sheets of a stack or the like by providing the stack with at least one line of equally spaced perforations along one edge, the spacing between the perforations corresponding to the pitch of the spiral binder. This permits the binder to be threaded, turn by turn, into engagement with the perforations of the stack. This general type of binding has a number of far-reaching advantages which need not be elaborated upon at this point, but which will be referred to and alluded to hereinafter as the several phases of my invention are described.

One object of my invention lies in providing an improved arrangement wherein the rotation of the binder, after it has been associated with a stack, is limited to a predetermined amount,

thereby efliciently locking the binder, either permanently or temporarily, in position.

I achieve the foregoing objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a bound sheaf of improved characteristics embodying the features of my present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1. 10

In the drawing I have shown a stack 34 of substantially rectangular sheets, the stack being provided with a series of equally spaced perforations 35 adjacent to and substantially parallel to the edge 37 of the stack. The edge 31 of the stack is shown as recessed or cut away at its end portions and in the particular showing of the drawing these recesses are shown as rectangular.

The spiral binding element 36 is shown in association with the stack and it will be understood that this element can be composed of wire or similar material. The pitch thereof corresponds to the spacing of the perforations of the stack and the backing so that it can be threaded into engagement with the stack and the backing by rotating it turn by turn through the perforations.

The spiral binding element 36 has been shown as of such length that it extends beyond the periorations in the stack so that its ends are locat-. ed within the aforementioned recesses and in accordance with my present invention these extending ends are crimped or doubled back as shown at 39. This prevents more than a very slight limited rotation of the binder 36 and holds 5 the parts in permanent assembly.

The reason for providing the aforementioned recesses is to provide a space for the crimped portions 353, these being located only within the recessed portions, and thus leaving the sheets of 40 the stack free for turning them back. In fact freedom of movement of the sheets 36; is very great, and although permanently bound together, these sheets may be folded backward or forwards around the binder 36 in a manner which makes the device extremely useful. The ends 39 of the spiral binder 36 are shown as bent along its axial direction and as disposed in the interior of the helix, so that these ends will not be encountered by the hands or fingers of the user 5 when the device is employed.

In general, it will be understood that the ramifications of my invention are considerable in number, and that the illustration and description herein contained is obviously given in large measure merely for the purpose of illustration. It will be understood that changes in the details herein described and illustrated, for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is,

i therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In combination with a stack of superimsaid helical element from the perforations, without destroying the flexibility of the connection.

2. A binding element for associating sheets of paper or the like in book form comprising a series of spaced coils in end to end relation and a terminal portion of an end coil bent at substantially a right angle to the course ,of the coil and into adjacency with the inside portion of the next adjacent coil. i

3. A binding element for associating sheets of paper or the like in book form comprising a series of spaced coils in end to end relation and each of the terminal portions of the end coils being bent into the general direction of the axis of the coil and into adjacency with the inside portion of the next adjacent coil.

4. A binding element for associating sheets or paper or the like in book form comprising a series of spaced coils in end to end relation and a terminal portion of .an end coil bent at substantially a right angle to the course of the coil and into adjacency with the next adjacent coil.

5. A binding element for associating sheets of paper or the like in book form comprising a series of spaced coils in end to end relation and each of the terminal portions of the end coils being bent into the general direction of the axis of the coil and into adjacency with the next adjacent coil.

6. In combination with a stack of superimpoud paper sheets or the like, having adjacent one edge thereof a series of substantially evenly spaced perforations, a helical element engaging said perforations so as to bind the sheets in booklike form, the terminal portions of said element being bent from their helical conformation through substantially a right angle, and into a position substantially longitudinally of said helical element, and being of a length so that said.terminal portions are adapted to prevent disasseciation of said helical element from the perforations, so as to hold said sheets in bound relation.

'7. In combination with a stack of superimposed paper sheets or the like, having adjacent one edge thereof a series of substantially evenly spaced perforations, a helical element engaging said per- 8. In combination a stack of sheets having uniformly spaced perforations formed adjacent one edge thereof, and a spiral binding element in threaded engagement with said perforations, said element being of such length that it will extend beyond the perforations in the stack and a terminal portion of said element being deformed out of its spiral path so as to prevent its go through said perforations, said terminal portion being bent in a direction lengthwise to the spiral and into adjacency with the inner portions of the terminal spirai.'coils.

9. In combination -with a stack a superimposed sheets or the like, having adjacent one edge thereof a series of equally spaced perforations, a helical element engaging said perforations so as to bind the sheets in book-like form, said element having a terminal portion thereof bent from its helical conformation through substantially a right angle and into a position substantially longitudinally of said helical element, said terminal portion being of such a length that it will notpass through said perforations as it is attempted to turn said 

